(A)Maintain — Eat around your maintenance if your goal is to keep your weight roughly the same. If you’re working out like a beast and/or eating extremely lean, you’ll see a gradual, progressive re-composition; including increases in lean muscle and reduced body fat.

In the bodybuilding world, people often follow a “bulk/cut” cycle where they apply a MASSIVE swing in calories for a period to increase muscle mass or drop body fat; sometimes going as high as 1,000+ calories above or below maintenance. One issue with that — you get excessively fat when you’re “bulking” and can quickly blow up into the Michelin Man.

5. Muscle Hungry? Optimize Critical Windows.

Flooding your body with nutrition during specific time windows is absolutely critical. It has the power to make or break workout performance, optimize muscle recovery, and ultimately drive GAINS.

Plan ahead and dominate these windows:

(1) PRE-Workout: Serious workouts require preparation in advance. That means sucking down a meal that’ll provide your body with the fuel needed to crush AND sustain intense training. Eat a heavy dose of carbs, with some protein as well, 1-1.5 hours before training (e.g. oatmeal, a banana, and a Greek yogurt).

(2) POST-Workout: A high-powered post-workout meal is absolutely ESSENTIAL. As far as muscle growth is concerned, it’s the most important meal of the day. Eat 20-40g of protein (ideally whey) and a heavy dose of carbs within 2 hours of your workout (e.g. a whey protein smoothie with fresh fruit and coconut water). Make sure you hydrate excessively, too.

(3) PRE-Bed:Studies have shown that chugging a protein shake before bed can help boost muscle protein synthesis, which stimulates recovery and growth. It’s not mandatory, but it can provide a nice little edge.

6. Go QUASI-Gluten-Free.

Be honest. If you’re eating a gluten-free diet, do you have any idea why the hell you’re doing it? Or why you’re asking the waiter at Benihana for gluten-free soy sauce?

Let’s be clear, if you’re one of the 1-in-133 that have celiac, we get it. And approximately 6% of people are gluten sensitive, which can cause gut issues.1 But for 94% of the population, gluten isn’t some magical little gremlin that’s going to make your gut explode and transform your body into the Pillsbury Doughboy.

It’s a protein found in grain. There’s nothing inherently bad about it, stop viewing it that way. A gluten-free label DOES NOT IMPLY THAT SOMETHING IS HEALTHY. Just look at the gluten-free cookies, brownies, and beer dominating shelves.